07/17/2026
With the 20th anniversary of the MyCANIC series tools coming up, we thought we would share a little about the evolution of these tools for any history geeks. :)
Born of necessity - Early 2000s
As vehicle communication networks started to become standardized in response to OBDII laws in the 1990s, the next challenge was figuring out how to handle the reprogramming of ECUs to fix issues and provide updates. The SAE J2534 PassThru API Recommended Practice was first published in 2002 to provide a standardized method for vehicle network communication interfaces to work with a Windows PC. This standard arrived just in time to help address the first large-scale vehicle manufacturing plant reprogramming events that could not be handled in the normal plant process as the vehicles were already built and sometimes stored in holding yards a long distance from the plant. Some of the first implementations to solve this issue involved Windows PCs and J2534 PassThru devices and it quickly became apparent that laptops and computer cables (e.g. RS232, USB, CAT5) were not capable of surviving in industrial / factory environments. Hardened laptops (e.g. Panasonic Toughbook) and specialized computer cables were tried, but the expense was significant (well over $5K for the laptop, cable and J2534 interface) and training a user was complicated if they were not computer savvy.
The first MyCANIC (Classic) - 2007
The first EEPod solution to handle the challenges of large scale vehicle ECU reprogramming was the MyCANIC (which we now call the MyCANIC Classic) in 2007. The goal was a small handheld device that was low cost (launched at a price of $595.00 USD), fast (labor is the largest cost in plant re-work activities) and could be used standalone (no PC required) or with a PC (J2534 PassThru). A small LCD screen to present only the minimum information needed and a 6-button keypad were decided upon so that even unskilled labor could be easily and quickly trained. In many cases, vehicle updates only required a single button press.
CAN-FD Arrives - 2015
The higher speed flexible data rate CAN-FD specification was published in 2012, but not finalized until 2015. This specification allowed for an increased data phase rate on CAN from 500Kbps to 2Mbps for most manufacturers, cutting ECU reprogramming time significantly. To support this new specification, EEPod quickly launched the 2nd generation MyCANIC-FD in 2016. The physical packaging, LCD and keypad stayed the same so users did not need to learn a new tool, but the electronics were updated with a much higher speed micro, CAN-FD controller / transceiver and more memory to handle the larger applications.
Fast and Furious Vehicle Updates (FSCRIPT) - 2019
As vehicle updates post-production started to happen at a very high rate, we needed to find a way to respond quickly and not have to create custom embedded MyCANIC firmware to handle each task. EEPod responded to this need with a flexible scripting language (FSCRIPT) that condensed all the common ECU communication tasks into simple commands where all the complexity of timing, transport protocols, security, error handling and much more were built into the language so users could develop very powerful scripts with just a few simple commands. This allowed engineers at EEPod as well as OEMs to deploy vehicle update scripts in a matter of hours instead of days or weeks. In addition to the simplicity of the language, it was developed so that scripts could run on any version of MyCANIC (e.g. Classic, FD, IOT and soon-to-be PRO).
Deployment, Security and MES Integration - 2022
Large scale deployment and the need to quickly and securely feedback vehicle update information to manufacturing ex*****on systems (MES) is what prompted the design of the third generation MyCANIC-IOT with a wireless network connection to an access point and then up to our EEPod IOT Cloud Server for secure file / data sharing with OEM manufacturing systems. This system removed any potential human errors or delays in getting the manufacturing systems updated efficiently and correctly. This new tool kept the same physical form factor, but with an upgraded higher resolution color LCD screen to be able to present more user feedback on complex tasks.
SIC CAN - 2026
The need for even more data on the vehicle networks prompted an update to the CAN transceiver electronics, called signal improvement CAN (SIC). These new transceivers are better at handling the electrical signal issues that occur in vehicle networks at high speed and will allow OEMs to take advantage of even higher data phase rates (5Mbps or more). To support these new transceivers, EEPod has offered updated MyCANIC-IOT devices with the new transceivers as well as the upcoming MyCANIC-PRO that will add a third SIC CAN-FD channel, more analog I/O and increased processing power for very demanding applications. The MyCANIC-Pro will launch at the end of 2026 and will have the same physical characteristics and color LCD screen as the MyCANIC-IOT.
